Centerboard installation



H. W. RICE CENTERBOARD INSTALLATION March 9, 1948.

Filed Jan. 11, 1946 HENRY W352i Patented Mar. 9, i948 I i Henry WestonRice, East Boothbay, Maine Application Jams; 11, 1946; Serial No. statesf l f The present invention' -r'ela'tes to centerboard installations andis more particularly concerned with a removable centerboard unit forinstallation on ordinary sail boats and outboard motor b t -..n

g The primary object of the invention is to provide a combination andcenterboard and skeg with rudder, in one unit which can be readilyinstalled in.boatsiand-is,xespecially adaptable to fiat bottom sailboats and outboard motor boats at small costand with little structuralchange.

Another object of the'invention is to provide a deviceof the character"referred to which is of simple construction andfew parts contained in aconveniently dimensioned centerboard box.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter referred to which is constructed with a mast step as part ofthe said unit.

With the foregoing and other objects and advantages in view, theinvention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating the invention- Figure 1 is afragmentary longitudinal section of a boat with the centerboard unitinstalled.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the centerboard box and parts installedin operative position.

Figure 3 is a vertical section on line 3--3 of Figure l. v

Figure 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4- of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a detail view, partly in section of the rudder stockhinge-joint and hexagonal sleeve 'to hold same in operative position.

Like numerals are used in the description and drawing to designate thesame parts of construction.

I represents the bottom of the hull, 2 the deck and 3 the mast of a flatbottom boat, either sail or outboard motor type.

The centerboard unit is contained in a detachable eenterboard boxcomprising two parallel, perpendicular sides 4 suitably spaced apart tohold the centerboard 5 and the rudder skeg 6 to which the rudder 1 ishinged in conventional manner, as at 8. The top and bottom of thecenterboard box are open and the open bottom, which is in form anelongated slot, registers with an elongated slot-like opening 9 suitablypositioned in the hull bottom along the boats medium longitudinal line.

Both vertical sides of the centerboard box are provided at the bottomwith lateral flanges l0 4 Claims. (cum-'12s) with whi h to secure bywithbolt e Fore n a t messe c h c e b box are provided {with verticallydisposed flange plates H and. I2 as laterals,-. 'These-aresecured todeck trusses or beams ISathwart the boats beam and approximatelyamidship. ;;The plates ii and i2 are removably secured in place bybolts. 0n the fore part of thecenterboard box is, an integralmaststepll. f 1

('Jenterboard 5 is pivotally secured at its lower forward corner on apivot pini5 located in the fore part of the centerboard box adjacent thebottom thereof, so' as to'permit the-centerboard to be dropped with ahinge-like movement. The centerboard is operated by a perpendicularhandle bar l6, normally held in upright position by means of a removabletransverse pin I! when he 'bx'tb h ul ete the centerboard is raised. Abridge bar l8 across for a suitable distance to allow the rudder andskeg to slide aft when lowered and forward when raised, thus producinga, hinge connection and also allowing a shorter centerboard box to beemployed.

The stock for the rudder, Figure 5, is constructed in two main sections2! and 22, and connected by a pivot bolt or pin 23 to form ahinge-joint. Adjacent this joint the two sections are hexagonal incross-section. To the upper end of section 2| the tiller 24 is hinged bymeans of a pivot pin. Mounted on the rudder stock is a slidable sleeve25 designed to slip over the hinge joint of the stock and maintain thetwo sections thereof in coaxial alignment when the aft part of the skegis lowered to operative position. When the skeg is raised the sleeve isremoved from the said joint to permit the section 2| to be dropped andstowed in a keeper 26. This keeper is mounted transversely on thecenterboard box, at a suitable point between the ends thereof, and isprovided with a removable pin 21 which fastens the stock down whenstowed out or the way. Sleeve *25 is formed hexagonal interiorly tocorrespond with the facets on the rudder stock and such forclaim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a centerboard box, means for removably securing samein the hull of a boat, a centerboard pivotally secured at its for 4stock when the skeg is raised and the joint thereof released from saidsleeve, and means for pivotally mounting said skeg in said box to allowthe rear end to be lowered and arranged to allow a fore or aft slidingmovement to the skeg while it is being raised or lowered.

3. The combination with a boat provided with an elongated centerboardopening in its hull, of a superimposed centerboard box removably mountedover said opening, a centerboard pivotally secured at its forward end insaid box, a rudder skeg contained in said box in parallel relation tosaid centerboard, a rudder hinged to the after ward end in said box, arudder skeg contained in said box in parallel relation to saidcenterboard,

a rudder hinged to the after end of said skeg.

and provided with a sectional rudder stock, and means for pivotallymounting the fore end of the skeg in the box and arranged to allow afore and aft. sliding movement to said skeg.

2. In combination. a centerboard box, means ior removably securing, samein the hull of a boat, a centerboard. pivotally secured at its forwardend in, said box, a rudder skeg contained in said box in parallelrelation to said centerboard, a rudder hinged to the after end of saidskeg, a rudder stock provided with a hinge joint and a plurality ofplane faces adjacent the joint, a slidably straight, sleevecorrespondingly shaped interiorly to fit said stock. a keeper mounted onsaid box and constructed to stow the said end of said skeg and providedwith a sectional rudder stock, and means for pivotally mounting the foreend of the skeg in the box and arranged to allow a fore. and aft slidingmovement to the skeg.

4. The'elements set forth in claim 1 and releasable means for securingthe sections of the stock in coaxial alignment.

HENRY WESTON RICE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 259,308 Havens June. 13, 1882448,503 Couch. Mar. 1'7, 1891 661,246 Holloway Nov. 6, 1900

